Clothes stick



Jan. 7, '1947.

I J. H. NORMAN CLOTHES STICK Filed Sept. 9, 1944 Patented Jan. 7, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,413,776 CLOTHES STICK John H. Norman, Ehnhurst, 111. Application September 9, 1944, Serial No. 553,303

Claims.

My invention relates to a clothes stick and has for its primary object the provision of a stick that is adapted for use particularly in home laundry operations where articles of clothing are picked up from hot suds in a washing machine or tub and fed into a wring'er to remove the major part of the water therefrom, or for the handling of clothes from one tub to another or the like.

Another object of my invention is the provision of aclothes stick which is positive in its operation and which is so constructed that it can not be drawn between the rolls'of the wringer, but through the use of which the articles of clothing can easily be fed into'the 'wringer between the rolls without danger of the stick beingdrawu between the rolls and which will easily release the clothes from the endof the stick as they are fed into a wringer;

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a clothes stick having a head constructed in such form that the water draining from the clothing picked up by the stick will not run along the handle onto the hands of the user of the stick but will drain from the end of the stick or through the bore of the head construction so that the danger of scalding the operators hands from the hot water is materially reduced.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a clothes stick having a head construction of'such manner. that a partial vacuum can be formed by the action of the wet clothes over the end of the stick so the clothing will not readily fall from the end of the stick or slide away from it in thehandlin-g of the cloth mg.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a clothes stick having a freely revoluble frusto-conical head thereon which will not tear or damage clothing, as is the case with sticks having comparatively sharp ends, when used for the purpose of handling clothes from hot water.

These and other objects of my invention will be more fully and better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my improved clothes stick Figure 2 is an enlarged View of the head of the stick which is shown in section to illustrate its structure; and

Figure 3 is an end view of the stick showing in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, atbody member I 0 is shown having peripheral grooves ll formed on one end thereof to provide an easy-grip for the stick, while at the opposite end a shank portion I2 is provided which isreduced in size and cylindrical in form so that a circumferentially extending shoulder i3 is formed at the base of the shank portion l2 and over which a frusto-conical member i4 is fitted. The member M has a cylindrical bore l5 longitudinally thereof with the free end of the member M being recessed with an outwardly flaring wall portion It terminating in a blunt edge portion ll formed by the inwardly turned surface It on the outer periphery of the end of the member it, A circumferentially extending shoulder is is formed at the base of the recessed outer end of themember l4 and within which a fastening member 2a is seated, this fastening member being of slightly less diameter than the diameter of the recessed end. A screw 2| is provided which extends through the fastening member 20 and into the end'of the shank portion l5 of the body member In so that the frusto-conical member M is held in position on the shank l2 but is freely rotatable thereon with sufficient space being provided around the fastening member 23 to allow for the passage of air out of the recessed end of the member l4 and out through the bore 15. Because of the frusto-conical shape of the member I l the hot water which drains from the clothes will not flow back on the surface, but because of the constantly decreasing diameter of the head member M will be inclined to drop from the surface of the head l4 without adhering to the head throughout its entire length or running onto the body member over the joint between the head and the body member.

In operation of the device the sticks are used for various stirring operations and for pushing clothes into hot water as well as lifting them out of the water, and in this respect the round end of the member It forms a useful function in enabling the operator to push the clothing into the water, allowing the air to pass fromthe clothingso that the clothing is immersed in the water means employed for securing the head to the without danger of tearing or injuring the garments as might happen with the ordinary clothes stick having a pointed end.

When' it' is desired to lift the clothing from the water and place it in the wringer the stick is turned at a slight angle so as to press the edge of the head I4 between the rolls, thereby enabling the wringer rolls to easily pick the clothing from the end of the stick and draw the clothing bebutton holes of garments, resulting in the tearing out of the button holes and otherwise. injuring the garments during the handling of them with the clothes stick.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as cir cumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A clothes stick comprising in combination a body member having a shank portion at one of its ends, a frusto-conical member having a recessed end rotatably mounted on the shank portion of the body member, a retaining member in said recess and means whereby the said retaining member is secured to the body member.

2. A clothes stick comprising in combination a body member having a shank portion at one of its ends, a frusto-conical member having a recessed end and a central bore extending longitudinally thereof and rotatably mounted on the shank portion of the body member, a retaining member in said recess and means whereby the said retaining member is secured to the body member.

3. A clothes stick comprising in combination a. body member having a shank portion at one of its ends with a shoulder portion formed therein adjacent the shank portion, a frusto-conical member having a longitudinal bore fitted on the shank portion and rotatably mounted thereon with one end in abutting engagement with the said shoulder and having a recessed end with outwardly flaring wall portions with an oifset portion at the base of the recess, a retaining member for said frusto-conical member, and a fastening member extending through the said retaining member and into the shank portion of the body member.

4. A clothes stick comprising in combination a' body member having a shank portion at one of its ends with a shoulder portion formed therein adjacent the shank portion, a frusto-conical member having a longitudinal bore fitted on the shank portion and rotatably mounted thereon with one end inabutting engagement with the said shoulder and having a recessed end with outwardly flaring wall portions with an offset portion at the base of the recess and an inwardly curved external wall surface adjacent the recessed end thereof, a retaining member for said frusto-conical member, and a fastening member extending through the said retaining member and into the shank portion of the body member.

5. A clothes stick comprising in combination a stick member having a shank portion at one of its ends, a frusto-conical head having a longitudinal bore therein rotatably mounted on the said shank portion, the said head having a recess therein, and a fastening member positioned in said recess and against the end of the shank portion of the stick and secured thereto, the forward edge of the head extending beyond the fastening member, thesaid head being only slightly movable relative to the shank portion in a longitudinal direction.

JOHN H. NORMAN. 

